David Sauvage

David Sauvage (born 1980/1981)[2] is an American activist, performance artist, and filmmaker. Following a transformative experience in 2015, he became known as an empath, or someone who can feel the emotions of others.[3][4]

David Sauvage
Born1980 or 1981 (age 39–40)
Laurel Canyon, California
NationalityAmerican
Occupationfilmmaker, performance artist, empath
Years active2011–present
Notable work
Healing Heals the Healer Too[1]
Websitehttps://www.empath.nyc/

Early life and education

Sauvage was born in Laurel Canyon, California in a Jewish family. His mother worked as a lawyer and his father, Pierre Sauvage, made historical documentaries.[2] Sauvage attended Harvard Westlake School and Columbia University, where he earned a BA, and UCLA, where he graduated with a MBA.[5][6]

Career

While in business school, Sauvage directed Carissa, a documentary about Carissa Phelps who overcame abandonment and prostitution as a child to attend UCLA.[7][5][8] The film received multiple awards and was licensed to Current TV.[6] Sauvage produced Soundcheck, a film about musician Bill Laswell.[6] He worked as a director for commercials, including Bon Appetit. In 2011, he joined the Occupy Wall Street movement, where he sought to communicate some of the protesters' demands and raise additional funds.[5] He co-founded Occupy.com, which served as a news aggregator about the movement's developments.[9]

Life as an empath

In 2015, during a period of depression, Sauvage had a transformative experience with the hallucinogenic drug ayahuasca.[10][2] The episode encouraged him to follow his "authentic self" and taught him that emotion was rooted in the body.[2] Subsequently, he cultivated an ability to feel the emotions that others are experiencing.[2][10] According to Sauvage, the basis for empathy is emotional self awareness, which is not cultivated in current culture.[11]

In 2018, Sauvage presented EMPATH, a one-man show at TheatreLab, where he gave live presentations of his ability to feel others' emotions.[12][13] The performance started by Sauvage explaining how he acquired the ability.[14] Next, when reading an audience member, would begin by releasing any pre-existing emotions before physically responding to the emotions he was sensing.[10] Sauvage says his read of the other person is instantaneous, and 75% of those he interacts with say his reading was meaningful and non-generic.[10]

In 2019, Sauvage launched the Empath shop, a pop-up store in the East Village. Visitors received free counseling, discussion sessions, and learned about empathy.[15]

Sauvage serves as a consultant to businesses and philanthropists who want to align their strategies with their feelings.[2] Sauvage works with individuals and approximately 80% of his clients are female.[2] He teaches fellow empaths through a class called School for Empaths.[3][10][16]

References
  1. "Healing Heals the Healer Too". goodreads. September 1, 2020. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  2. Godwin, Richard (24 Jun 2017). "'It's a superpower': meet the empaths paid to read your mind". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 Jun 2017.
  3. "The Way of the Empath with David Sauvage". thecentersf.com. July 14, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  4. Jordan, Ken (April 5, 2019). "David Sauvage – An Empath's Self-Discovery". evolver.net. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  5. TANKERSLEY, JIM (October 23, 2011). "Occupy Wall Street's Marketing Crisis: What Would an OWS Brand Look Like?". The Atlantic. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  6. "David Sauvage". brooklynbrainery.com. Brooklyn Brainery. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  7. White, Tom. "Meet the Filmmakers: David Sauvage--'Carissa'". documentary.org. documentary.org. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  8. Pfefferman, Naomi (August 21, 2008). "Documentary explores UCLA alumna's past as a child prostitute". Jewish Journal. Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  9. HARKINSON, JOSH (April 2, 2012). "Huffington Post for the Occupy Crowd". Mother Jones. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  10. Pauly, Alexandra (May 2, 2018). "FEELING WITH EMPATH DAVID SAUVAGE". Untitled Magazine. Retrieved May 2, 2019.
  11. Manning-Schaffel, Vivian (May 29, 2018). "What is empathy and how do you cultivate it?". NBC News. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  12. "#50: Articulate Empathic Truth with David Sauvage". lisabl.com. November 15, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  13. BWW News Desk (October 15, 2018). "Theaterlab Presents David Sauvage's EMPATH". broadwayworld.com. broadwayworld.com. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  14. Bartholomew, James (December 8, 2018). "Encounter With an "Empath"". All About Solow. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
  15. Spadea, Bill (Jun 26, 2019). "Local News: East Village Empathy Pop up". Chasing News. New York. Retrieved Jun 26, 2020.
  16. Ewens, Hannah (November 17, 2017). "Who Feels for the People Who Feel for Everyone Else?". Vice. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
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